Brambleberry is a British term for blackberry (Rubus fruticosa). In the U.S., it includes other members of the thorny berry genus Rubus, such as the raspberry (Rubus idaeus).

It’s easy to whip up an easy brambleberry tart: Just arrange the berries in a buttery pâte brisée crust (short crust—here’s the recipe), either:

 
Then, relax with a branbleberry cocktail. This recipe is courtesy TheBar.com and Tanqueray London Dry Gin.

Bottoms up with a blackberry cocktail.
Photo courtesy TheBar.com.

Ingredients Per Cocktail

Preparation

1. COMBINE gin, liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup in a shaker with ice; shake well.

2. STRAIN into an ice-filled rocks glass.

3. POUR the creme de cassis over the top. Garnish with a lime wheel and raspberries.

Gin has been made from juniper berries since the Middle Ages; as with most spirits, it was originally an herbal medicine. The Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius (1614-1672) is credited with the invention of gin. The name comes from jenever, the Dutch word for juniper.

Today there are numerous origins, styles, and flavor profiles that build on the juniper. London Dry Gin is the world’s most popular gin type.

It‘s very different from jenever (also spelled genever). It is called dry gin because there’s no sugar to add sweetness.

London dry gins also tend to be higher in alcohol: 90 proof as opposed to the more typical 80 proof. The flavor profile is characteristically citrussy, with lemon and/or orange peel among the numerous botanicals that provide the flavor. (Here are some of the different types of botanicals that can go into gin.)

Beefeater, Bombay and Tanqueray are well-known brands of London Dry Gin. Gin trivia: While gin was distilled in London centuries ago, only one gin distiller remains there today.
 
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